WASHINGTON – On January 29, 2013, President Obama signed into law a bill providing “supplemental appropriations to respond to and recover from the severe damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.” Today, Shaun Donovan, Chair of the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force, issued the following statement:

“This funding represents our commitment to doing all we can to support the families, businesses, cities and towns in this region as they rebuild their communities and make them stronger, more economically competitive and better able to withstand the next storm. ”As chair of the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force – and a native of the region – I am grateful to Congress for supporting the President’s request, which is so vital to this rebuilding effort. I am especially appreciative to the congressional delegations from New York and New Jersey and Governor Christie, Governor Cuomo, Mayor Bloomberg and all the local elected officials for their continued leadership. ”The Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force will continue to work closely with our federal as well as state and local partners to support impacted communities as they make important decisions about rebuilding and recovery. Our focus will continue to be on ensuring that these efforts, both at the federal and the local level, are coordinated, maximizing the impact of available resources to support recovery while also mitigating against future disasters.”